


The Yes or No Question

by mcgarrygirl78



Series: The Story of Us [12]
Category: Criminal Minds
Genre: Drama, F/M, Humor, Pre-Canon, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-09-22
Updated: 2013-09-22
Packaged: 2017-12-27 08:53:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,390
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/976854
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mcgarrygirl78/pseuds/mcgarrygirl78
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“I've quickly run most of the pros and cons through my head, including several worse case scenarios, and my answer is still yes.”</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Yes or No Question

** February, 1987 **

Mark growled in satisfaction as he rolled onto his side and nibbled Erin’s earlobe. The way she moaned brought the butterflies back to his belly. He wanted her again.

“Damn, that was amazing.” He whispered.

“It was pretty nice.” Erin held the blanket against her naked frame. “A girl could think of worse ways to spend her birthday.”

“I bet she could.” He kissed her cheek before gently turning her face to him. When Mark could see her eyes, he kissed her mouth. “I love you, schatzi.”

“I love you too.”

“Can I ask you a question?”

“Yes, but don’t make it too complicated because I've been drinking tonight.”

“Would you like to spend the rest of your life with me?”

“Mmm, that might not be too bad.” Erin smiled. “I'm a little high maintenance though. Do you think you can handle that?”

“A little?” Mark raised his eyebrow.

“You are not funny.” She elbowed him in the side.

“I can handle it, Erin. I can make you happy.”

“You already make me happy.”

That was no easy feat and Erin knew that. She was demanding. She could be so wrapped up in her job and her life that the people who cared about her were pushed to the sidelines. There were times when she was self-centered and even mean. Mark knew how to deal with all of her moods. Even when they fought, coming out on the other side was a new revelation about themselves as individuals and a couple.

“I could make you happy forever.” Mark kissed her again.

“What about your happiness, Mark?” she asked.

“You are my happiness.”

“Putting all of your happiness in one person or goal is bound to end in disaster.” Erin said in a matter of fact tone.

“Well that’s the funny thing about love. Love doesn’t give a shit about any of that.”

“So true.”

Mark kissed her neck and then her shoulder. He cuddled close, holding her against him. She hadn’t answered his question but there was no need to push. They had all night. They had even longer if things went the way Mark hoped.

“Spending the rest of our lives together could be fun. It would be challenging and surely an adventure.”

“Where would you like to live?” Mark asked.

“A five bedroom dream house in McLean.” Erin answered. “The crazy thing is I've actually been looking at real estate in the paper lately. Apartment living is getting tiring. I want grass and trees and window seats. I want a balcony outside my bedroom and a sun porch downstairs.”

“That sounds good to me.” He kissed her.

“So…?”

“So what?”

“I'm waiting for my proper proposal, Mark Cramer. I don’t want to take all the fun out of it but you're losing your nerve.”

“I'm not…” he laughed. “Did I make this harder than it should’ve been? I might be the only person who can do that.”

Erin turned and wrapped her arms around him. When their foreheads touched, she sighed. She’d been waiting for this, and dreading it too, for a few months now. When it didn’t come at Christmas, she was a bit concerned. 

Then Valentine’s Day came and went as well. Erin went to Kirk to discuss her feelings. As usual he brought her down from the ledge. Four days later was her 27th birthday. Was it really happening tonight?

“Erin Camille Strauss,”

“That’s my name don’t wear it out.” She smirked.

“Erin Camille Strauss, will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?” Mark asked. “Will you share your heart, your soul, and your life with me? Will you make me the happiest man on earth? I know that all sounds so corny but I mean it. I really love you and want to be with you.”

“I want it too.”

“Are you going to say yes?”

“Yes.”

“Really?”

“I've quickly run most of the pros and cons through my head, including several worse case scenarios, and my answer is still yes.”

“I never know when you're joking or not.” Mark said. “That both thrills and frightens me.”

“I do love you, Mark. I know I'm not the easiest to get on with but your knowing that is important to me.”

“And that’s enough for me, my little Wiener schnitzel.”

“It’s nice. I also like diamonds.”

Laughing, Mark reached under his pillow. They were at Erin’s place tonight after reservations at DC Coast. It was one of the most popular and expensive restaurants in the capital. Reservations were nearly impossible to get but Mark knew prominent people. 

That evening when he went to pick her up, he hid the ring in her room after excusing himself to the bathroom. This was really his last chance. On Christmas he didn’t have the nerve…didn’t think it was the right time. Valentine’s Day was too cliché, and since they were both February babies they made the decision as a couple never to make a big deal about the holiday.

He opened the box and showed her the ring. It was an heirloom diamond; had been in his family for generations. His paternal grandfather had it made for the girl he loved. He planned to propose as soon as she got off the boat from Dresden, Germany. It had been passed on and on through the Cramer family. Mark’s father gave it to him at Thanksgiving.

“ _I suspect you're going to ask her to marry you.” Nicholas Cramer said to his son. He stood on the balcony of his palatial home in the Providence suburb of Brunswick smoking a cigarette._

_“If I'm lucky she’ll say yes.” Mark said._

_“And you're sure that she's right for you?”_

_While the Cramers couldn’t deny Erin’s flawless pedigree, at least on her mother’s side, they still didn’t bless the pair. Mark didn’t need his parents making decisions for him. He was 32 years old. He took the ring from his father and put it in the inside pocket of his sports jacket._

_“She's the one, Dad. I've known it almost since the moment we met.”_

_“You met in a Quantico dive bar.” Nicholas could barely hide the disdain in his voice._

_Of all of his sons, Mark was the one he was most concerned about. He claimed to have a ten year plan but seemed content in being the Senior Senator’s errand boy. Now he was going to marry a woman who looked as if she’d cut off his balls for fun. Nicholas didn’t think the boy had what it took to be a Cramer. He’d shown intelligence and drive but his father was still concerned._

_“She's the one for me, Dad. You don’t even know her well.”_

_“And yet you’ve been dating for at least a year and a half.”_

_Mark didn’t want to bring Erin around. He was never close to his family; always felt like the black sheep. He’d done everything his brothers before him had but never got the love they did. He was the youngest of the family…the accident baby. His father was a retired State Senator and his mother a society matron who sat on the board of several prominent Providence clubs and leagues. He smiled in all the family pictures, brought home the trophies and awards, while secretly going to sleep at night wondering if he was adopted or the mailman’s kid. Why would he want Erin to see that?_

_“Just remember that you're trying to find your footing in a profession that frowns upon divorce.” Nicholas said._

_“Yes, unless #2 is younger and blonder.”_

_“You're too cynical. You get that from your mother’s side of the family.”_

_“I think it was either that or certifiable.” Mark mumbled. “I appreciate you giving me the ring Dad, I do.”_

_“None of your brothers wanted it. There was nothing left to do with it.”_

_“And there's that Cramer love and support that I can never wait to come home for.” He cleared his throat, turned, and went back into the house. He didn’t want to leave Erin alone for two long with the Cramer women. Mark feared for them much more than he did his girlfriend. She could only take so much of the Barbie Brigade, as she called them, before Erin came out swinging_.

“It’s beautiful Mark.” Erin took the ring from its velvet case.

“It’s a family heirloom and I want you to wear it. But I understand if you might want something a little more…”

“This ring is amazing.” She held it in the palm of her hand. “Do you think I need something more ostentatious?”

“Since you have to wear it for the rest of your days, all that matters to me is that you have the ring that makes you happy.”

“I'm happy.”

Erin smiled as he took the ring and slid it onto her finger. It really was beautiful. The band was white gold with a round, nearly flat, center diamond. Smaller diamonds surrounded the center. It wasn’t huge but it was quite pretty. 

Something a little bigger probably was more Erin’s speed. The simplicity of it reminded her of how easy it was to love Mark and to be with him. This ring described their relationship to a tee. And getting married was about them, not just her.

“I want to keep my last name.” she laid in his arms and admired the ring. “I've grown used to it.”

“Agent Strauss in the FBI and Mrs. Cramer at home.”

“Who's going to call me Mrs. Cramer?”

“I will sometimes.” Mark replied, kissing her forehead. “I'm sure our kids’ friends will.”

“We don’t have any kids.”

“We don’t have any kids...yet. You want to have kids, don’t you? I know we kind of talked about this before but we were in a different place in our lives.”

“I want children.” Erin said. “I just want two though. For years I was an only child. When I was seven, my mother got pregnant and had my twin brothers. My life was never the same after that. I don’t want that many years between our children.”

“What if we have two daughters or two sons?” Mark asked.

“I’d be alright with that.”

“You wouldn’t want to try for a baby of the opposite sex?”

“Sex doesn’t matter too much to me. Healthy is my #1 priority.” Erin said.

“I think I might want to try.”

“We can revisit the issue after we have our two. Twins run in both of our families so we might end up with multiple births. Until it all happens, the point is moot.”

“Agreed.” Mark nodded.

“There's one more thing but I'm not sure you'll like it.” She said.

“What is it?”

“I've always wanted a September wedding. I wasn’t one of those little girls who spend all my childhood imagining my fairy tale life. But whenever I thought about my wedding, it was always fall. It’s not really something I want to negotiate on.”

“I think a fall wedding would be wonderful.”

“Seven months isn’t enough time to plan.” Erin said. “All the great places have already been booked. If we plan for next year I know my mother and I can have everything to make it perfect.”

“Nineteen months?”

“I know, I know it seems like a long time.” She sat up in bed. “I'm not stalling, I promise. I just want it to be right.”

“It’s going to be you and me, Erin. How much more right can it be?” Mark asked.

“We both have plenty to do at work; I've even been traveling. And you go back and forth to Rhode Island. I think the time is going to fly.”

Mark really didn’t want to wait that long. They'd been together for 20 months and would have to wait another 19 to get married. He didn’t want to push Erin or rush her. He knew she was quite particular about how she did things. 

What was his family going to think? That probably pissed Mark off the most, having to worry about their reaction. Of course he didn’t have to but would anyway. His family had a way of weaseling their ways into his head when it was what Mark wanted the least. He took a deep breath, exhaled, and took her hand.

“Do you really want this?” he asked.

“What do you mean?”

“Do you really want to get married? Do you really believe we can make this work, Erin? I'm in a profession where divorce is frowned upon.”

“Seriously? Some of those Senators have been married three times and have illegitimate children with mistresses. Frowned upon? Yeah, maybe by their exes.”

Erin thought that was a douchebag thing to say. She loved Mark but didn’t mind cutting him down a peg or two if need be. Those words didn’t even sound like him. While he was no pushover, could be unyielding when the situation called for it, he was not a jackass. Those words sounded like his father. Nicholas Cramer had a PhD in jackass. Erin caressed his face.

“I love you Mark. You know that I love you and that’s why I accepted your proposal. We make a great team; we’re going to have a good life. I know that 19 months is a long time. But we’re going to be together through every one of them. I can't apologize for wanting the wedding of my dreams. It’s not as if I plan to do this a handful of times or anything.”

“I love you too.” Mark sat up so that they were sitting face to face. “I'm sorry.”

“Don’t be sorry.”

“Upsetting you, letting the doubts of others creep into our lives, that’s never been what I wanted.”

“I don’t want that either. See…we’re already on the same page again.”

“We’re getting married.” He pulled her into a passionate kiss.

“Mmm, yes we are.”

She wrapped her arms around him, sliding back down on the mattress. Mark kissed her neck and Erin moaned.

“I get to make you moan every day.”

“That’s a tall order, Mister. Don’t get in over your head.”

“I'm an overachiever.” Mark thrust inside of her. “I've won awards for it.”

“I know that about you.” Erin arched her back and gripped his hips. “I love that about you.”

***


End file.
